Into the Light
by Physhy
Summary: Tara is faced with a challenge to find a warrior in order to return to Willow and Sunnydale, but so is Willow . Please R/R .
1. Default Chapter

Into the Light by Physhy Disclaimer: Everything belongs to Joss Whedon, and Mutant Enemy . I own nothing and profit in no way . Feedback: Pretty Please . I don't even care if you flame me . I'm new at this and would love a little feedback .  
  
Tara stood in the large empty hall . She didn't know where she was . The last thing she remembered was being with Willow, in their room . She smiled at the thought //Our room// . It had been so long since it had been their room . //So what's going on//  
  
"That's a good question ." Tara whirled around and came face to face with the source of the voice . A beautiful young woman who looked strangely familiar . She had short hair that seemed to be dyed blonde, and deep brown eyes . She wore a long white flowing gown .  
  
"W-who are you ?" the wiccan stammered  
  
"Another good question . My name is Cordelia . I believe we have a shared acquaintance in the form of Willow . Which is why I am here ."  
  
"Okay, then why am I here ? Not to b-be rude or anything . Just k-kinda curious ."  
  
"You're here because you have a choice . Most people in your position don't get many options . You however have to decide what happens next ."  
  
"Why do I g-get to chose ?"  
  
"Because, you weren't supposed to die ." Tara suddenly felt sick .  
  
"I d-died ?"  
  
"I'm afraid so . Fortunately you weren't supposed to . Now you have two options . The first being to deal and move on with your afterlife ."  
  
"Or ?"  
  
"Or we can send you back ."  
  
"Send me back, just let me go home ?"  
  
"Not exactly . There's a catch . If you chose to go back, you must first do something for us ."  
  
"What "  
  
"You're cautious . I like that . There is a lost champion . She is supposed to play a vital role in the coming apocalypse ."  
  
"A-apocalypse ?" the blond wiccan nearly whispered .  
  
"Yes . We need you to find her and bring her back into the light . Show her there is still good . Still something worth fighting for . "  
  
"Do you want me to her l-lover ?" Tara asked nervously  
  
"No . Another already holds claim to her heart . What she needs from you is friendship . She needs to go back to Sunnydale . When she's ready you can return to your Willow . Just remember, when you go back, she'll need you more than ever . "  
  
"If there is someone that already holds claim to her heart, why don't you send him ?"  
  
"Because he is lost too . Another like you, a witch will be sent to find him . She has possesed his heart, now she must posses his friendship ."  
  
"Has she died too ?"  
  
"No . Though she did lose someone dearly . If she finds him, she can have her true love back ."  
  
"You're sending Willow, aren't you ?"  
  
"Yes ."  
  
"Why, what if she fails, it'll be to hard on her ."  
  
"Because, she needs hope . Without hope, your loss will lead her back to the darkness . All that is necessary is that you succeed . He will return to the light . With, or without her help . The purpose of sending her is to give her the hope she needs to carry on . That is all ."  
  
"I'll do it . Just make sure she's safe ."  
  
"She will be ." And with that a bright light of blue swirled around Tara, and she slept .  
  
Chapter 2  
  
Back in Sunnydale a battle was being waged . The Scooby's as they called themselves were gathered . The Slayer had been healed, but a witch had been lost . Buffy, Xander, and Anya were gathered around Willow desperatelt trying to convince her that the black magic she had gathered was not the way .  
  
"I owe him pain ." the former red head spoke with a deadly even calm .  
  
"Willow, there are other ways to go about this . We brought Buffy back . We can find something . " Xander offered, desperate to diffuse the situation .  
  
"They said no . I called upon them, and they said there was nothing that could be done . I can't bring her back, but so help me Gods, I will kill them . Warren . Andrew . Jonathon . They are all dead men now . " Willow turned and headed for the door .  
  
"Willow, I can't let you do this . I can't let you kill another human being . If you do this, there won't be any turning back . " Buffy spoke, her slayer duty forcing her to reign in her emotions .  
  
"They killed Tara . They shot you, if I hadn't intervened, you would be dead . Again ! I have to go do this Buffy . You're with me or you're not . Either way there's gonna be an ass kickin' . " she stood waiting for her best friends' response .  
  
"I was afraid it would come to that . You're my best friend Will . And I will always be right beside you . Even if it's not where you want to be . " Buffy quickly swung her fist, catching Willow on the chin . The girl flew back, and landed with a thud . "Xander, grab her legs . Let's get her on the couch . " The two carried their friend gently into the living room, laying her down . "We'll take turns keeping watch, if she shows signs of waking, wake the other . I'll take the first turn, why don't you crash in the chair . "  
  
"No, I'll go first . You've had a long day, you need your rest . And I don't think I could sleep right now . "  
  
"Are you sure ? "  
  
"Yeah, I'll wake you up if I have to . Get some shut-eye . " They settled in to watch and sleep respectively  
  
Chapter 3  
  
Willow woke in a large empty hall, and anger filled her . She looked around frantically, eager for any clue as to where her friends had taken her . Furious that her friends would do this to her while the trio was probably fleeing .  
  
"They didn't bring you here . " came a voice from behind her . Willow raised her hand, intent on sending the woman flying, to give herself a chancec to gauge the situation . To her surprise, nothing happened . "You're magic won't work up here . "  
  
"Who the hell are you ?" the witch yelled angrily  
  
"Please . I've only been gone like three years . The least you could do is say hi . " the woman replied annoyed .  
  
"Cordelia ?"  
  
"Well duh . Who did you think I was ? Your fairy god mother . "  
  
"I thought it was someone Buffy had watching me . They're trying to keep me chained up like an animal . There are things that need to be done, and they'vegot me locked up . " the girl fumed  
  
"No they don't . "  
  
"What ? " She asked confused .  
  
"They don't have you locked up . You're asleep on the couch . Xander is keeping an eye on you though . Oh yeah, that revenge thing, bad idea . "  
  
"What would you even know about it ? "Willow asked still furious .  
  
"Do you have any idea where you are ? Who you're talking to ? Sit down . " Willow fell to the floor ."You need to learn your place girl . You are in another dimension, in the presence of a higher being . Now shut up . I have been sent to charge you . You are to go on a quest . There is a lost champion . You are going to find him . "  
  
"What makes you think I'd do anything for you ? If you hadn't noticed, I'm not exactly pleased with higher beings lately . "  
  
"Because, there has been someone wronged . Warren was only supposed to get off a single shot . The second was supposed to be a misfire that killed him . Tara was supposed to live . "  
  
"Buffy was supposed to die . " Willow was suddenly weak .  
  
"No, she would have survived, but out of commission for the upcoming fireworks . If you succeed, your beloved will be returned to you . " the black faded from Willow's hair, and she looked up quickly .  
  
"Tara ?"  
  
"Yes . "  
  
"Tell me what to do . "  
  
"That's better . You need to find him . "  
  
"Who ? "  
  
"Oz . He needs to be here . Find him . Bring him to the hellmouth . And we'll give her back to you . "  
  
"Is that all ?"  
  
"That's it . But Willow, none of this works if you kill them . You kill any of them, and it's all off . "  
  
"How do I know that you're telling the truth . How can I trust you ? "  
  
"You can't . " Cordelia said simply . "You're only here in your mind . When we send you back, the others will never even know you were gone . You can't trust me . But you can trust her . " she pointed to a point just behind Willow . Willow turned around, and rushed into her lover's arms .  
  
"Is it real . Are you really here ? " the wiccan asked with tears in her eyes .  
  
"Yeah baby, I'm here . But she's right , if you kill him, I can never come back . That would be the end of us. No matter how much you want to, you can't . 'Cause I can't bear the thought of having to live without you . And I'm not ready to die yet . So go home, and do as they ask you, so that I can have someplace to come home to . Okay baby . " Tara asked, wiping the tears from Willow's face .  
  
"I'll be waiting . "  
  
"Are you two ready to go ?" Cordelia interrupted  
  
"Yeah . Remember, be good . " Tara said, giving Willow a goodbye kiss  
  
A bright light swirled and suddenly miles away from each other, two girls suddenly opened their eyes, and took in a deep gasping breath . Grateful for the air in their lungs, knowing that life was not over . 


	2. Waking Up

Tara awoke in a strange place . //Twice in one day// the wiccan thought annoyed . //They couldn't have dropped me in a place I was familiar with .// She shook her head as if trying to rid herself of the negative thoughts . //Remember girl . They didn't have to bring you back . They could have just let you stay dead . Then you'd never see Willow again .// She sat up trying to gauge her surroundings . She was on a couch in a very large room . //Looks like a nice place // .  
  
"Hey ." her thoughts were interrupted by a soft male voice . "Are you okay ? "the man seemed concerned . The girl just took in a deep breath, and felt her wrist for her pulse . The man in return raised an eyebrow when she nodded . "Is there a reason you just checked yourself for a pulse . "  
  
"Just making s-sure . " she said quietly .  
  
"You found one right ? " Tara in turn just smiled and nodded .  
  
"In that case, hi . "  
  
"H-hello . I'm Tara . Where am I ? " she asked, looking around nervously . Her eyes landed on a sword leaning against the end of the couch she was sitting on .  
  
"I'm Gunn . And we're in LA . Where are you supposed to be ? "  
  
"I guess I'm supposed to be here . Umm, question . "  
  
"Shoot . "  
  
"What would you say if I said that the Powers that Be sent me here . " she asked nervously . "Would that mean anything to you . "  
  
"Yeah . That you've got the kind of connections we need . Why did they send you here ? "  
  
"She said I'm s-supposed to find a lost Champion . Bring them back into the light . Then, back to Sunnydale . "  
  
"I don't suppose they gave you a name, cause we've had more than one come up missing lately . "  
  
"No name, just a picture in my head . I know I've seen her before . I just can't remember where . And I sort of got the feeling that she was lost emotionally, not physically . "  
  
"Well we did have a girl who worked with us come up missing . I probably have a picture around here somewhere . I guess identifying her is the first thing we should do . "Gunn started digging around on the desk for pictures of Cordy . He found one, holding it up for Tara to see . "This her ? "  
  
"No . She's not lost . "  
  
"What ? " Gunn asked confused "Have you seen her . "  
  
"Yeah, she's the higher being who sent me here . She gave me this chance to go home, in return for finding the Powers' champion . " Tara crinkled her brow looking at the picture . " That's Willow . Buffy, and Xander too, who's this ? " Tara asked pointing to a girl off to the side of the group .  
  
"That, I think they said her name was Faith . Big bad ass back in the 'Dale . Why . "  
  
"That's her . That's who I'm supposed to find . "  
  
"Man, they don't like giving out easy assignments do they ? "  
  
"Why d-do you say that ? "  
  
"Faith is in jail . Even if you could get through to her, getting her out would be near impossible . "  
  
"Well, I guess we should hurry then . "  
  
Chapter 5  
  
Willow woke slowly, gazing around the familiar living room . She sat up, and looked around . Xander was asleep in a chair . Buffy and Anya were asleep on the couch . Buffy's feet just beneath Anya's nose, causing it to twitch slightly . She looked at her friends, who only hours ago she was threatening, and started to cry . That was how Buffy found her friend when she woke .  
  
"Willow, you're hair . " Buffy said quietly . Willow touched the tips of her tresses to find they were Red again .  
  
"I'm sorry, I just love her so much . " she said, tears streaming down her face . "And, when I thought that I would never see her again, I just couldn't ... "Buffy hugged her as she trailed off .  
  
"It's okay Will . We all miss her . But we'll be okay, Tara would want that . She wouldn't want you or anyone else to suffer . "  
  
"No, it's okay . We'll be together again . Once I find him and bring him back, we can be together again . "  
  
"Willow, you're not going to go after Warren are you ? " Buffy asked worried .  
  
"No . He'll get his though . People like him always do eventually . "  
  
"Then who were you talking about ? " the slayer asked confused .  
  
"Oz . "  
  
"Okay Will, you lost me . "  
  
"After you knocked me out, I saw her . She's a higher being . She's strong too, she's got a lot of power . She told me that he's supposed to be here . And that Tara wasn't supposed to die . If I can find him and bring him back, they'll let Tara come back . We have to find him Buffy . They let me talk to Tara . She told me to be good, so that she has a home to return to . Whether or not there's any truth to it . I have to believe it's true, and that she'll be back . Please help me find him . " She said breaking down into sobs again .  
  
"Don't worry Will . I promise you . We'll find him . " 


End file.
